Rhode Island took an important step toward increasing youth voter registration with a bill to lower the voter registration age. FairVote's John Anderson and Rob Richie joined state legislators and a leading Secretary of State candidate on April 18th in Providence. If successful, Rhode Island would join Hawaii as the only states that allow all 16-year-olds to pre-register to vote. This lower registration age presents an opportunity for schools to expand voter registration activities. It also makes it easier for young people to register when they first get a driver license.

Antonio Gonzalez, President of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, is among those supporting this effort.

[ Read the Bill (.pdf 6k) ]
[ Read coverage from the Providence Journal ]
[ Read Antonio Gonzalez' letter of support ]
[ Read John Anderson and Ray Martinez' New York Times op-ed ]
[ Learn more about the 100% Registration Project ]
[ Read Rob Richie's Speech at American University HAVA Conference ]